Opposition leaders will team up to vote down independence bill

The leaders of the three main parties say they will not support the SNP’s referendum bill next year arguing it would be damaging during a recession

Opposition leaders have agreed to vote down Alex Salmond's referendum bill next year, denying Scots the opportunity to opt to break away from the UK.

Leaders of the three main opposition parties say they will not support the proposed legislation as it would be a damaging distraction during a recession.

The SNP was banking on the support of the Liberal Democrats who had signalled they might be prepared to support the bill if a third question, giving voters the choice of opting for more powers for the Scottish parliament, short of independence, was included.

It was also hoped Iain Gray, the Labour leader, could be persuaded to adopt the stance of his predecessor, Wendy Alexander, who believed giving voters the chance to refuse independence would take the issue off the political agenda.

However, the scale of the economic crisis and the prospect of large-scale redundancies over the next two years